“Welcome Aboard!” …And Then Nothing: Why Onboarding Feedback for New Starters (Especially Remote Ones) Isn’t Optional in summary:
Onboarding feedback is critical to support your new starters because:
- Timely, meaningful feedback helps new starters (especially remote workers) feel confident, aligned, and supported from day one.
- Using digital tools – including onboarding and performance management software – prompt regular check-ins, track progress, and ensure feedback doesn’t fall through the cracks.
- However, don’t forget to empower line managers with the right tools, training, and cultural support to make continuous feedback part of everyday working life.
Picture the scene: you start a new job full of enthusiasm, nerves, and maybe even a spotless new notepad.
You’re given a lightning-fast induction, your laptop login details (which don’t work), but then your new team promptly vanishes on holiday and you’ve got an inbox piling up with requests you’re not sure how to respond to. Now, throw in the fact that you’re working remotely from your kitchen table, 70 miles away from anyone who might be able to help… and all of a sudden things have become a little less “exciting new opportunity”, and a lot more “where the hell is everyone and what am I supposed to be doing?”
Sound like just a bad dream? Sadly, it’s a reality many new remote working starters have faced… the writer of this blog included! Although I must stress this was not in my current role (my onboarding process here at Cezanne was fabulous)!
Elsewhere, another new hire is equally lost. They’re working hard and trying their best, but entirely on the wrong things. Priorities haven’t been made clear. They’re not sure if they’re fitting in. They rarely see their manager in the office and their team is too busy to give them the help and attention they need. Frustration starts bubbling over, and the new hire is beginning to feel a huge tinge of ‘new job regret’.
So, what ties these new start nightmares together? A lack of early, meaningful onboarding feedback. It’s the thing new starters need most: whether they’re in the office, or joining MS Teams calls in their pyjama bottoms.
The feedback generation
Today’s workforce includes a growing number of Millennials and Gen Z – employees who’ve grown up with real-time feedback. Likes, comments, emojis… you get the idea. Feedback isn’t just useful, it’s expected.
For example, a study by PwC found that over 50% of Millennials want feedback very frequently. It’s how they grow. It’s how they know they’re on the right track. And when they don’t get it? They assume the worst – or they mentally check out. For remote hires, that silence feels even louder.
The feedback void: a common workplace trap
Too many companies assume that a decent company induction is all a new hire needs. Tick off compliance training, show them how to log expenses, show them where the loos are and call it a day. Job done, right?
Wrong.
Feedback during the onboarding process isn’t a “nice to have” or something you save for when things go wrong. It’s a vital part of helping someone feel confident, aligned, and – most importantly – welcome. This is especially true for remote workers, who don’t have the luxury of overhearing useful chat or popping over to someone’s desk, it’s even more critical.
Without feedback, new employees are left in the dark – they’re flying blind. And the worst part? A lack of feedback appears commonplace during the first days and weeks of a new job. In fact, Our own research into onboarding found that over a fifth of all new hires didn’t know what to expect when they started their job! Not exactly the dream onboarding experience, is it?
Why early onboarding feedback really matters (especially for remote workers)
Think of feedback as your onboarding GPS. It doesn’t just tell people where they’re going: it helps them avoid wrong turns, dead ends, and awkward Teams messages that start with “Quick question…”
Early onboarding feedback has several benefits, including:
- Builds confidence. A quick “You nailed that call” or “Great start on the report” goes a long way, especially when you can’t see your manager nodding from across the office.
- Reduces anxiety. Remote workers often worry about whether they’re doing OK. Regular check-ins ease that stress and help them feel seen.
- Prevents misunderstandings. Whether it’s project priorities or Slack etiquette, early conversations avoid long-term confusion.
- Boosts retention. People are far less likely to quit when they feel supported – virtually or otherwise.
According to Gallup, employees who get regular feedback are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged in their work. Meanwhile, Zippia reports that 70% of employees say they’d work harder if their efforts were recognised. If you want people to stay and succeed, start talking early… and often.
Two onboarding horror stories
Let’s go back to our two unlucky new starters.
In scenario one, the new recruit’s teammates disappeared on holiday and they had no clue what they were meant to be doing, leaving them to face a tidal wave of emails and uncertainty about what she was actually meant to be doing. They got radio silence… and started questioning whether they’d made a huge mistake joining in the first place
In scenario two, a new remote employee was working diligently, but on all the wrong things. No one had clearly explained team priorities or ways of working. Because they weren’t in the office, their missteps weren’t spotted until resentment had started bubbling over. A 15-minute check-in during week one could have changed the whole dynamic and started things off much more positively.
At this point, it would be very easy to simply point the finger of blame at managers. After all, they’re the ones who are supposed to be guiding, checking in, and keeping new starters on track, right? Well, not necessarily…
Why managers don’t always deliver
The thing is, your line managers are often juggling their own chaos: deadlines, back-to-back meetings, clashing priorities… and now, onboarding someone they’ve never even met in person? It’s no wonder regular onboarding feedback sometimes slips through the cracks!
That’s exactly why your company culture – and your HR technology – need to step up and support them. Managers shouldn’t have to go it alone. But, with the right support, tools and a culture that prioritises people development, giving timely, meaningful feedback becomes a whole lot easier (and more consistent).
Let your HR software do some of the heavy lifting
Now, we’re not saying your HR software should replace the human side of feedback – but it can give it a nudge in the right direction. This is because:
- Onboarding software helps remote and in-office employees alike. It keeps things consistent, automates the admin, and reminds managers to check in. It’s like having a polite robot whisper, “Maybe see how your new starter’s getting on?”
- Performance management software keeps conversations going past week one. It prompts goal-setting, logs feedback, schedules check-ins, and helps employees track their development – whether they’re in HQ or halfway across the country.
For remote workers, these tools are game-changers. They make the invisible visible. They give structure to conversations that otherwise might not happen.
Build a feedback-first culture
Having said all that, the best HR software platforms in the world won’t help if feedback is seen as a chore rather than a habit! This is where you need to start by:
- Normalising weekly check-ins, especially in a remote or hybrid setup. These don’t need to be formal. A quick “how’s it going?” on Teams or Slack works wonders.
- Training your managers to give constructive, kind, actionable feedback – whether it’s face-to-face or via webcam.
- Recognising good people management. Make coaching and communication core leadership skills – not just nice extras.
And don’t forget: new hires don’t know what they don’t know. They’re not asking for feedback because they don’t realise they’re missing it.
Don’t let silence be the first message
A poor onboarding experience littered with mistakes doesn’t just hurt morale. It costs time, money, and often ends with someone handing in their notice before they’ve even been added to the org chart properly. Whether your new starter is at a desk in your office or a kitchen counter 200 miles away, feedback is the thing that helps them feel part of something. It builds connection, clarity, and confidence.
So, say “Welcome aboard” and then keep the conversation going. Because “You’re doing great” or “Let’s tweak that together” means a lot more than silence ever could.
Paul Bauer
Paul Bauer is the Head of Content at Cezanne. Based in the Utopia of Milton Keynes (his words, not ours!) he’s worked within the employee benefits, engagement and HR sectors for over six years. He’s also earned multiple industry awards for his work – including a coveted Roses Creative Award.
